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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25476856">Indigo</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/C4ff3in3/pseuds/C4ff3in3'>C4ff3in3</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>ROYGBIV [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angry Katara (Avatar), Angry Zuko (Avatar), Blue fire - Freeform, Firebending, Gen, Iroh (Avatar) loves Tea, Mentions of Azula, Mentions of Ozai - Freeform, POV Zuko (Avatar), Sun Warriors - Freeform, Training, mentions of Iroh, stories</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 12:20:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,220</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25476856</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/C4ff3in3/pseuds/C4ff3in3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Aang and Zuko had been back from the sun temple for a week before Zuko had noticed. He knew his bending had gotten stronger since meeting Ran and Shaw, but the blue fire was new.</p><p>Or </p><p>Zuko develops new bending skills after meeting the firebending masters.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Iroh &amp; Zuko (Avatar), The Gaang &amp; Zuko (Avatar), Toph Beifong &amp; Zuko</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>ROYGBIV [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1846855</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>431</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Indigo</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is my first fanfiction! Feel free to give feedback and leave comments. Thanks.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Aang and Zuko had been back from the sun temple for a week before Zuko had noticed. He knew his bending had gotten stronger since meeting Ran and Shaw, but the blue fire was new. The first time deep indigo flames spouted from his fingertips, he almost burned himself. The smell of lightning and Azula’s cruel laugh overwhelmed his senses. Once he calmed himself down enough to think rationally, he noticed that his fire was the same color as his blue spirit mask. It felt full of life and warmth. It felt like protection. Azula’s fire has always felt cold and detached. Like the water at the poles trying to decide whether it wanted to drown you or give you hypothermia. </p><p>Zuko almost began to feel giddy as he created another flame in his palm. All his life he had been compared to Azula. Ozai’s smirk as he declared Azula ‘born lucky’ and himself ‘lucky to be born’ stuck with him to this day. But Zuko was determined to finally be better at something than Azula, luck be damned. </p><p>For the next week, he found himself sneaking off to practice his firebending whenever he could. After his sunrise meditation with Aang, he’d skip breakfast to practice his katas. Uncle’s ramblings about fire coming from the breath and having a strong base seemed to make his fire burn brighter. And after hours of practicing he’d scavenge for berry’s and think about new techniques he could create with his bending. He imagined fire whips that could evaporate katara’s water within seconds of leaving the fountain. He saw himself using the heat around them to see the world the way Toph did. He even saw himself creating air scooters from fire to play with Aang. </p><p>Zuko had been so invested in new bending techniques that he barely noticed that the Gaang hadn’t seen him in days. The only one to see him had been Aang during firebending lessons and that had been sparingly at best. Zuko thought the Gaang would be happy he wasn’t around as often. Besides Toph and Aang, the group seemed to tolerate him at best and hate him at worst. Katara’s threat of ending his destiny permanently didn’t seem like an open invitation to share stories around the campfire. So he was surprised when Toph demanded that he eat with the rest of them that night.</p><p>“You want me to what?” he asked. “You do know Katara will kill me right.”</p><p>“Don’t worry about Sugar Queen. I’ll make sure you leave dinner in one piece Sparky.”  He grumbled at the nickname and the resulting punch he received on his shoulder but agreed to show up at dinner. And that’s how Zuko found himself walking towards the fire while the group ate stew from their bowls while sharing stories of their adventures in Ba Sing Se. </p><p>‘Great timing’ he thought to himself ‘It’s not like I betrayed them in Ba Sing Se and almost broke the Avatar cycle by siding with Azula’. But before he could turn around and pretend like he wasn’t there Toph called out,</p><p>“Sparky! You made it. Try some of the stew.”</p><p>“No thanks, Toph. I’m fine” he said as he sat in the spot between Toph and Sokka. </p><p>“Hmph. He thinks he’s too good for my cooking, I’ll show him cooking.” Katara muttered.</p><p>“We were talking about being in Ba Sing Se” Aang interrupted. </p><p>“Have any good stories?” Zuko stuttered to find a story to tell as Sokka clapped his back.</p><p>“c’mon Jerkbender, you must have one story that doesn’t involve chasing us around?” </p><p>But Zuko couldn’t think of anything remotely interesting. When he thought about Ba Sing Se, he could only think about his decision in the catacombs and his Uncle.</p><p>“When Uncle and I were in Ba Sing Se we ran a tea shop-”</p><p>“You ran a tea shop,” Katara interrupted. He stared into the fire as she looked at him incredulously. </p><p>“Nevermind then.”</p><p>“Katara!” Aang admonished. “Continue Zuko.” But Zuko only stared at the ground. What was the point if they were going to question everything he said?</p><p>“C’mon Sparky, tell us about uncle.” she coaxed. Zuko looked up at Toph and saw genuine curiosity, so he continued.</p><p>“Uncle owned a tea shop in the Upper Ring called the Jasmine Dragon. We lived in an apartment above the shop, so I worked there during the day. Uncle loved his customers and they loved him. But they didn’t love me as much.” He chuckled. “One day I spilled some oolong on a customer, Lady Zu Lao I think. And she was so mad. Her face turned so red, it was like looking at the fur of a fire ferret.” Sokka snorted at the comparison. </p><p>“I bet you spilled it on purpose.” Sokka challenged</p><p>“I didn’t”</p><p>“You’re lying,” Toph laughed.</p><p>“Well, she deserved it. She called Uncle a ‘chattering hog monkey’ when he was trying to be polite. So I spilled the drink and when she was storming around the shop I ‘accidentally’ knocked the mop over so she tripped.”</p><p>“You didn’t!” Toph yelled. Zuko nodded, a small smile creeping on his lips. Sokka and Aang were trying to reenact the arrogant lilt of the upper ring.</p><p>“Good sir, a cup of your finest oolong.” Aang simpered.</p><p>“If it pleases milady, I shall scour the lands for tea worthy of your lady-ness,” Sokka said, voice noticeably deeper. A new round of laughter burst from everyone’s lips while Katara’s lips were pursed.</p><p>“Of course you’d do that. Terrorizing that poor woman.” She huffed.</p><p>“What is your problem!” He yelled back. Katara had been making snide comments since he joined them, and Zuko couldn’t keep his temper in check.</p><p>“Oh. You know all about problems, don’t you?”</p><p>“What’s that supposed to mean?” He demanded. Katara stood up, arms waving wildly.</p><p>“Just that you’re at the center of everyone’s problems. I guess that’s why your mom left. Too many problematic family members.” She said, voice cold. Zuko felt his face getting warm. The campfire surged higher and he struggled to stay quiet. The rest of the group was quiet from disbelief that their Katara would say something so callous.	</p><p>“Bloodthirsty father and a psychotic sister. It was only a matter of time until her son disappointed her too.” Before she could finish her sentence Zuko was standing up as well, glaring at her.</p><p>“I guess you’d know all about crazy sisters. You’re just a naive water peasant who doesn’t understand that not everyone whose fire nation is responsible for your mother’s death.” </p><p>And at the mention of her mother Katara grabbed water from the nearest cooking pot and sent a water whip at Zuko. The rest of the gaang made sounds of protest but Zuko was faster. He created a whip of his own that wrapped around hers like a double helix. His blue fire seemed unnatural against the water. Zuko took another deep breath and evaporated the liquid in her grasp. The group looked on in shock as Zuko’s flames burned. </p><p>“The next time you talk about my mother, I’ll be the one to finish your destiny. Permanently.” and with that Zuko stalked away, blue flames licking his feet in anger.</p><p>“Did you know he could do that?” Sokka asked.</p><p>“I had no idea,” Aang answered.</p>
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